Foot-ball.



H. BROMLEY.

FOOT BALL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1913.

1,12,@99, Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

rHE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON D. C.

HAB-RY BROMLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOOT-BALL.

nieaoeo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 19115.

Application filed November 29, 1913. 7 Serial No. 803,728.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, HARRY BROMLEY, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing at 93 Gold street, city of NewYork, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Foot- Ball, of which the following is a specification.

In that form of the game of foot ball known as National football, wherethe rules of the game permit of drop kicking, place kicking, anddribbling or comparatively gently rolling the ball on the ground byusing the hand or the foot, the conventional forms of oval and sphericalshaped balls which are respectively used in Rugby and in Association orsoccer, will not lend themselves for effective use in the aforesaidgame. The presence of the comparatively sharp pointed ends on the Rugbyfootball and the sharp curvature of the surface of this ball, prohibitsdribbling or rolling, with any degree of precision in a requireddirection, while the spherical property of the Association footballrenders that object unfit for effective place kicking or drop kicking.An object in pointing the ends of the Rugby football is to permit theplayer, in making a drop kick, to kick the ball at a point which willcause the ball, while 01f the ground, to rotate in the direction of itscourse of flight; and an object in making the Association ball sphericalis to permit the player to roll this ball with marked precision in agiven direc tion on the ground.

Since National football is in part made up of rules which permit of dropkicking, place kicking and dribbling, or in other words, is in part madeup of a combination of Rugby and Associated football, it is manifestthat in order to obtain a skilful exposition of the game, a footballpossessing the characteristics of the Rugby football and the Associationfootball, must be employed.

Therefore, I will state as the general object of my invention theproduction of a football which is suitable for drop kicking, for placekicking, or for dribbling. And to this end the invention resides in soforming a football that the longitudinal cross sectional contour of suchball will conform to the shape of an ellipse.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodimentof my invention of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of the ball forming the subject-matter ofthe present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the same. Fig. 3illustrates diagrammatically the variation in cross sectional contourbetween the ball forming the subject-matter of the present invention andballs used for Rugby and Association football.

The components of my football are an outer casing 5 and a bladder (notshown) arranged in the casing and conforming in contour to the contourof the casing. The bladder is of rubber and is provided with the usualinflating nipple (not shown) and the casing 5 is provided with the usualmouth 6 through which access is had to the hereinbefore stated nippleand bladder, and which is adapted to be closed by a lacing 7 when theball is ready for use.

The casing 5 is made up of a plurality of oblong sections ct and convexend inserts or fillets bb. The sections a, are arranged side to side andstitched or otherwise suitably fastened together, as indicated by 8. Theend edges of the sections a are concaved and the several curved edgeshave corresponding radii, whereby circular openings are provided for theinserts b, the edges of which are stitched or otherwise suitablyfastened to the end edges of the sections as indicated by 9 and theinserts arranged so that their surfaces extend continuously with thoseof the sections a; of the outer casing 5.

The sections a together with the inserts I) combine to make up a bodywhich in lon gitudinal cross sectional contour, conforms to a perfectellipse. In consequence of this the ball, by virtue of the relativelyshort length of its major axis and the relatively large area of surfaceit presents for contact with the ground, may be dribbled or rolled withcomparatively the same accuracy as can a round ball without, in anymarked degree, sacrificing those properties which are required of anoblong ball for punting, hand passing, drop kicking or place kicking thesame.

What is claimed as new is:

A. football including an outer casing made up of a plurality ofelongated sections, the lateral edges of which are connected one to theother and the end edges of which are concaved so as to provide circularopenings in the ends of the casing, and convex inserts arranged in thesaid openings and secured to the sections and having their outer facescontinuous with the outer faces of the section, the sections and insertsof the easing-being so proportioned and arranged that the casing whendistended forms a true ellipse in longitudinal section.

HARRY BROMLEY. Witnesses:

MAURICE DAVIES, FRED S. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents,

' Washington, I). G.

